Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus



. June 21, 1966 o. SMITH 3,257,662

DITGH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! INVENTOR. OPTON F. SMITH ATTYS.

June 21, 1966 o. F. SMITH 3,257,662

DITCH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q n Q i q- 9. LL

N 82 LI.

OPTON F. SMITH ATTYS.

June 21, 1966 o. F. SMITH 3,257,662

DITGH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.5

INVENTOR. OPTON E SMITH ATTYS.

June 21, 1966 o. F. SMITH 12mm DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan.

INVENTOR. OPTON F. SMITH ATTYS.

June 21, 1966 o. F. SMITH 3,257,662

DITCH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. OPTON E SMITH ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,257,662 BITCH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Upton F. Smith, 1900 Main, Room 201, Sarasota, Fla. Filed Jan. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 249,003 15 Claims. (Cl. 37-81) This invention relates to apparatus for digging and/or cleaning ditches or trenches, for example, those used for purposes of irrigation, drainage, or the like.

Apparatus has been purposed heretofore for the digging of ditches, and typical of such apparatus is that disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,381,689. However, such apparatus has been open to various objections including unsatisfactory operation, high initial cost, severe wear and breakage resulting in loss of operating time and high maintenance costs, lack of adjustability, inability to operate in certain soils or under bad weather conditions, and lack of speed.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the fore-going and other difficulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of an improved, efficient, operative apparatus capable of functioning in various soils and under a wide variety of weather conditions toeffect a relatively rapid digging and/ or cleaning of a ditch or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the character described in which wear and breakage of parts is kept to a minimum, the apparatus is quickly adjustable to operate upon ditches of different contours, and the apparatus is operable upon soils of different types and containing roots, bushes, weeds, and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ditch digging apparatus in which the screw and all associated mechanism floats upon a shoe of adjustable area and adjustable forward inclination during the forward movement of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ditch digging apparatus in which angul'arly adjustable slopers and dirt guide plates are associated with the screw housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide ditch digging apparatus of the type set forth wherein a verticaL ly adjustable screwhousing is provided for the front top portion of the digging screw.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved dirt discharge means in conjunction with the screw of a ditch digging apparatus.

The foregoing objects of the invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the provision of a ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body mounted for vertical movement thereon, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw, means for changing the horizontal angle of the footer in relation to the direction of forward motion of the apparatus, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers extending from adjacent the bottom of the housing upwardly and outwardly to cut the sides of the ditch, means for changing the angles of the slopers, guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing, vertically adjustable housing means covering at least the front portion of the screw at the upper portion thereof, and centrifugal means positioned at the upper end of the screw for receiving dirt from the screw and for discharging it laterally of the apparatus.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

3,257,662 Patented June 21, 1966 ice . the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and showing the digging screw and associated mechanisms;

FIGURE 4 is-a sectional view taken substantially on line d'-4 of FIGURE 3 and illustrating details of the earth discharge mechanism of the apparatus;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken sub stantially on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, with the screw omitted, and showing details of the vertically adjustable front housing for the screws;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation, with some parts being broken away of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG- URES 3 and 6, with the screw omitted; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of the angularly adjustable footer of the apparatus.

In the drawings, the numeral It indicates generally a large size endless track type tractor including a body 12 carrying an engine 14 for driving a pair of endless tracks 16. The operation of the tractor is controlled from a drivers seat 18 and suitable controls 20 positioned on an upwardly and forwardly located platform 24. In the actual construction of the apparatus of the invention even in the large size tractor available it was found necessary to increase the width of the tracks by welding in filler pieces for the tractor frame, and by rebuilding the tracks 16 so that one half of a full track was added to each track. In this manner the ability of the tractor to maneuver in soft ground was enhanced as well as its ability to dig with a straddling action, or to clean ditches up to five and one half or more feet deep, two feet or more wide at the bottom and up to seven feet wide or more at the top.

Extending from the body 12 of the tractor 10 is a rearwardly directed frame 26 which is mounted upon a laterally directed horizontally positioned pivot 28 on the body 12, and with the frame 26 thereby being capable of floating up and down movement, for example, to positions indicated by chain dotted lines 30. The frame 26 is adapted to carry all of the digging and cleaning appar-atus.

Mounted on frame 26 is an engine 32 which drives a gear reducer 3 by a drive shaft positioned inside of a cage 36. The gear reducer 34 connects through a flexible coupling 38 to the shaft 4.0 of a screw 42 extending vertically downward from the rear end of the frame 26.

In a typical apparatus, the screw 42 has a diameter of 30 inches at its top and a diameter of 24 inch-es at its bottom, and the screw can either be made to taper uniformly from top to bottom or its can be made of a uniform diameter over the major portion of its length, and

then tapering more sharply near its bottom to the smaller diameter. The screw itself forms the subject matter of a separate patent application filed March 27, 1963, under Serial No. #268,420. Suffice it to say here that the screw is norm-ally made to have a double thread, -i.e., a double blade with the edges of the blades formed with cutting teeth which materially improve the action of the digging apparatus particularly in digging through ground in which roots, weeds, and the like prevail. Each screw flight terminates at its upper end in a vertically positioned radially directed paddle 44 which acts to throw out iaterally the dirt dug by the screw, all as herein and after more fully described.

Positioned to surround the rear half of the screw 42 over substantially the full verticall height thereof, and

' G to surround the paddles 44 as well is a housing 46 which is secured at its top to the frame 26. The lower end of the housing 46 has secured thereto rigidly a footer 48 having a front cutting edge 59, all as best seen in FIG- URE 8. The footer 48 fixedly supports a pin 52 extending up into the lower end of the shaft 40 carrying the screw 42. A hearing 54 journals the lower end of the shaft 40 on the pin 52 and packing means 56 seal between the lower end of the shaft 40 and the pin 52 so that the entire shaft 4%) can be filled with oil to lubricate the bearing 54.

The housing 46 surrounds substantially the rear portion of the screw 42 over a distance of substantially 180, with the vertical front edges 58 of the housing 46 being formed as cutting edges substantially the full length of the screw 42.

Looking again at FIGURE 8, the rigid footer 48 which takes substantially a rectangular shape in plan view is formed with a recessed portion which receives a somewhat larger footer 60 mounted for movement about the pivot pin 62. In order to adjust the position of the movable footer 60 in relation to the stationary footer 48 a turn buckle 64 is pivotally connected at points 66 and 68 with the movable footer 6t} and the housing 46. Means are normally provided for rotating the turn buckle 64 so that the front to rear inclination of the movable footer 60 can be controlled, for example between the solid and dotted line position shown. In the form of the invention illustrated the turn buckle 64 is provided with a bevel gear 70 which engages with a bevel gear 72 carried on a rod 74, with the gears being held in rotatable engagement by means of a casing 76 surrounding the gears and turn buckle, one half of this casing being removed in FIGURE 8 to show the construction thereof. The rod 74 is provided with a universal joint 78 and the rod is extended up to a hand wheel 80 positioned at the rear end of the frame 26 which is usually provided with cat walks along its length surrounded by guard rails 82.

In order to adapt the adjustable footer mechanism described to operations upon ground of different softness provision is made whereby the movable footer 60 can have secured thereto by bolts 84 different size footer plates 86.

Looking now to FIGURES 3, 6, and 7, the apparatus of the invention includes a pair of adjustable angle slopers 90 which are pivotally secured to the footer 48, and with the upper ends of the slopers being movable for adjustment to the desired angle of lateral inclination. The front edges of the slopers, marked 92 are formed as cutting edges with the slopers functioning to cut the sides of the ditches to be cut or cleaned. The pivotal support for the lower ends of the slopers 90 is indicated by the numerals 94, with the axes of these pivotal means preferably extending in the line of forward movement of the tractor so that the slopers 90 can be tilted through the desired range of lateral angles and still present the cutting edges 92 of the slopers in substantially the straight forward direction, with the body of the slopers acting to wipe or smooth the sides of the ditch after the dirt'has been cut therefrom. The forward edges of the slopers 90 may be toed slightly inwardly, as well as the pivots 94 so that the wiping action described by the main body of the sloper is enhanced.

Guide plates 96 connect between the rear edge of each sloper 90 and the screw housing 46 whereby any dirt cut by the slopers 90 from the sides of the ditch is directed into the screw 42 for lifting out of the ditch. The guide plates 96 may be made in several different sizes, and can be bolted into position between the slopers and the screw housing. However, in the embodiment of the invention shown the guide plates 96 are pivotally connected at 98 along their front edges to the rear edge of each sloper, and with a pin and slot connection slidably connecting each guide plate to the screw housing 46. A slot 100 is formed in each guide plate, and a headed pin 102 extending slidably through this slot connects to the screw housing 46, usually slightly to the rear of a true transverse diameter of the housing. The arrangement described allows the slopers to be adjusted to any desired lateral angle, and with the guide plates 96 functioning to at all times be positioned to guide any dirt cut by the slopers into the screw in housing 46. It is possible with the structure described to move the slopers 90 into almost completely vertical position or into almost completely a horizontal position, and to all positions in between, with the guide plates 96 still functioning in the manner described. This extreme of movement is illustrated by chain dotted lines 104 and 106 in FIGURE 7 and by chain dotted lines 108 in FIGURE 3 in the structure described and in movement of the slopers from the extreme positions shown to the other extreme positions shown the guide plates 96 engage at a slightly different angle with the sides of the housing 46 so that there must be some clearance between the inside of the head of the pin 102 and the side of the guide plate 96, but this is not particularly objectionable because the guide plates themselves can spring somewhat and because any clearance space soon packs with dirt in the use of the apparatus. Should the presence of the slot in each guide plate 96 prove objectionable, for example by permitting the escape of Water therethrough, it is entirely feasible to cover the slot 100 to the rear side of each guide plate 96 with a cover 110 shown broken away in FIGURE 6.

During the cleaning of a ditch containing water and in order to insure the proper level of the water in relation to the vertically adjusted level of the front housing 116, it is sometimes desirable to specifically provide for the passage of the water through the guide plates 96. FIGURE 6 illustrates that a hole 111 can be provided in each guide plate, this hole being closed or adjustably and partially covered by a plate 113 adjustably positioned by locking cap screws 115. In this manner, and regardless of the level of the water in the ditch the best conditions can be established for passing the water through the apparatus as the ditch is cleaned, and with the screw digging out and discharging the dirt and only a minimum of water.

The angular position of the slopers 90 is most conveniently controlled by means of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 112 pivotally connected to the guide plate 96 at one end and to some suitable frame member 114 carried by the frame 26, as best seen in FIGURES 6 and 2.

An important feature of the invention is to provide the screw 42 with a vertically adjustable housing portion over the front half of the screw and extending over substantially the upper half of the screw. In the drawings, this adjustable front housing is indicated by the numeral 116, and is shown in FIGURE 5 there being an interlocking but sliding connection at 118 between the rear housing 46 and the front partial housing 116. Suitable means, such as hydraulic cylinders 120 are provided for controlling the vertical height of the partial front housing 116.

It is the purpose of the partial front housing 116 to assist in fully surrounding the screw 42 so that the dirt conveyed thereby is carried upwardly of the screw to the paddles 44 which laterally discharge the dirt. If the apparatus of the invention is being used to perform a ditch digging operation the forward motion of the tractor plus the rotation of the screw causes the earth itself to form the front casing for the screw and the partial front housing 116 is normally raised to its uppermost position. On the other hand, in performing a ditch cleaning operation, and particularly a ditch cleaning operation in which there is water present in the ditch then the vertical height of the partial front housing 116 is adjusted downwardly to separate the water from the dirt so that the maximum of dirt and the minimum of water is raised by the screw and laterally discharged. In a ditch cleaning operation as described, the slots 100 in the guide plates 96 may be utilized to allow the escape of water back to the portion of the ditch cleaned, or it is possible to form the guide plates 96 of a vertical height so that the water will spill over the top of the guide plates back to the cleaned portion of the ditch. Or, as previously described, the holes 111 can be adjusted as desired.

The front housing 116 can be constructed as best seen in FIGURE 5 from two or more relatively telescoping parts so that a desired range of vertical adjustment can be obtained without moving the housing 116 into the housing surrounding the paddles 44. This telescoping construction of housing 116 also means that the lower edge of the housing 116 can be adjusted downwardly to the position desired by the cylinders 120 without opening any gap between the top edge of the housing 116 and the bottom of the housing surrounding the paddles 44.

In FIGURE 6, chain dotted lines have been provided together with appropriate labels indicating the bottom of the ditch, the water level in the ditch, and the top of the ditch, with the partial front housing 116 being shown substantially in its most upper position, but with this housing to be adjusted downwardly to achieve the action described.

Coming now to the mechanism for laterally discharging the dirt or earth raised by the screw 42, reference has previously been made to the radially directed paddles 44 positioned at the top of the screw 42. FIGURE 4 together with FIGURE 3 best illustrates that the paddles 44 are surrounded by a housing, usually forming a part of the screw housing 46 but extended to fully surround the paddles 44 in the manner shown in the drawings. The housing surrounding the paddles 44 has been given the numeral 126, and this housing is provided with a pair of laterally extending conduits 128 connected at diametrically opposed portions of the housing and each adapted to receive in a tangential direction the dirt thrown circumferentially by the paddles 44. Each conduit 128 is substantially rectangular in cross section and is directed to an opposite side of the apparatus so as to discharge the dirt dug or cleaned from the ditch on the opposite sides of the ditch. Each conduit 128 is provided at its end with a baffie or closure 130 pivotally secured at its upper edge at 132 to the end of the conduit and adjustably .positioned at its lower edge by slotted levers 134 extending around lock screws 140 which can be released and retightened to position the doors 130 at any point between fully opened and fully closed positions. When the doors 130 are fully opened dirt may be thrown some distance so that it does not build up at the sides of the ditch. When the doors are only partially opened the dirt is deposited down immediately at the sides of the ditch, and when one door is fully closed its associated conduit 128 is soon filled. up with dirt so that all additional dirt is discharged through the other conduit. Reopening the closed door and cleaning out the dirt in its associated conduit 128 renders the conduit operative again as a dis charge conduit.

With the apparatus of the invention ditches can be very satisfactorily cleaned at speeds of /2 mile per hour'or higher regardless of weeds, bushes, or other debris grown up therein and regardless of the presence of water in the ditches. New ditches can be dug at slightly slower speeds. The apparatus adapts itself to the cleaning or digging of ditches of various contours and slopes, including ditches having a different slope on one side than on the other. The apparatus functions with the tractor portion thereof remaining horizontal and yet able to go up and down slight rises, and with the frame carrying the screw and all operating mechanism floating about the horizontal pivot connection to the tractor. crating mechanism seeks the desired digging or cleaning level due to the front to rear inclination of the footer, all as described.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims.

The frame, screw, and screw op- What is claimed is:

1. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, widely spaced endless tracks on the body adapted to straddle a ditch, means for driving the tracks, a frame pivotally secured near its front on a-laterally directed horizontal axis to'the body near the front thereof, and extending rearwardly of the body, a downwardly directed screw journalled on the frame near the rear end thereof, means on the frame for driving the screw, a housing connected to the frame and surrounding at least approximately of the rearmost portion of the screw over substantially the vertical height thereof, a footer at the bottom of the housing, said footer having a sharp front edge, a bearing for the lower end of the screw carried by the footer, means for changing the area of the footer, and means operable from the frame for changing the angle of the footer in relation to the forward motion of the apparatus to control the depth at which the screw operates, the frame repositioning itself on the horizontal pivot.

2. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body adapted to straddle the ditch, a frame on the body, means for raising and lowering the frame, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw, a footer on the bottom of the housing, a bearing on the footer journalling the lower end of the screw, sloper plates pivotally secured to the footer about axes in line with the forward motion of the apparatus and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to form the sides of the ditch, cutting edges on the front edges of the sloper plates, means for individually positioning each sloper plate at a selected angle to the horizontal, a guide plate filling the space between each sloper and the side of the housing to guide dirt cut loose by the sloper plates to the screw housing, hinge means securing each guide plate pivotally along its front edge to the rear edge of its sloper plate, and pin and slot means slidablysecuring each guide plate to the side of the housing.

3. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body, means for raising and lowering the frame, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw, a footer on the bottom of the housing, sloper plates pivotally secured to the footer and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to form the sides of the ditch, cutting edges on the front edges of the sloper plates, means for positioning each sloper plate at a selected angle to the horizontal, a guide plate filling the space between each sloper plate and the side of the housing to guide dirt cut loose by the sloper plates to the screw housing, hinge means securing each guide plate pivotally along its front edge to the rear edge of its sloper plate, and pin and slot means slidably securing each guide plate to the side of the housing.

4. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body, means for raising and lowering the frame, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw, a footer on the bottom of the housing, sloper plates pivotally secured to the footer and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to form the sides of the ditch, cutting edges on the front edges of the sloper plates, means for positioning each sloper plate at aselected angle to the horizontal, and guide plate means adjustably filling the space between each sloper plate and the side of the housing to guide dirt .cut loose by the sloper plates to the screw housing regardless of the angle of the sloper plate.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein means are provided for changing the angle of the footer in relation to the forward movement of the apparatus.

6. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body adapted to straddle a ditch, a frame on the body, means to raise and lower the frame, a screw journalled in the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw over substantially the full vertical height of the screw so that upon rotation of the screw and the forward movement of the apparatus a ditch is dug and the dirt is moved upwardly of the screw, paddle means connected to and extending axially from the end of each flight of the screw and rotated therewith, a casing surrounding the paddle means, a pair of passageways positioned to receive dirt thrown centri-fugally from the casing by the paddle means, one passageway extending laterally to one side of the apparatus and the other passageway extending laterally to the other side of the apparatus, and means for adjustably closing each passageway and for directing the discharge of dirt therefrom, last said means also adapted to selectively close one passageway so the dirt will only be discharged from the other.

7. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body mounted for vertical movement thereon, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw, means for changing the horizontal angle of the footer in relation to the direction of forward motion of the apparatus, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers extending from adjacent the bottom of the housing forwardly, upwardly and outwardly so the forward edges thereof define a slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement to effect a wiping cut on the sides of the ditch, means for selectively changing the lateral angles of the slopers without changing the slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement, guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing, vertically adjustable housing means covering at least the front portion of the screw at the upper portion thereof, and centrifugal means positioned at the upper end of the screw for receiving dirt from the screw and for discharging it laterally of the apparatus.

8. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body mounted for vertical movement thereon, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers extending from adjacent the bottom of the housing forwardly, upwardly and outwardly so the forward edges thereof define a slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement to cut the sides of the ditch, means for changing the lateral angles of the slopers without changing the slant angle, and guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing.

9. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body mounted for vertical movement thereon, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw, means for changing the horizontal angle of the footer in relation to the direction of forward motion of the apparatus, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers pivotally mounted adjacent the bottom of the housing and extending forwardly, upwardly and outwardly so that the forward edges thereof define a slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement and the plane thereof is in the direction of apparatus movement, said forward edges of said slopers adapted toeifect a wiping cut on the sides of the ditch, means for changing the lateral angles of the slopers, guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing, and means positioned at the upper end of the screw for receiving dirt from the screw and for discharging it laterally of the apparatus.

10. In a ditch digging and cleaning apparatus for attachment to a vehicle,

a frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle,

a vertically positioned screw journalled on said frame,

means for transmitting drive to the screw operatively connected thereto,

a housing secured to said frame and extending around at least the rear portion of the screw throughout substantially the entire length thereof,

a footer secured to said frame and supporting the lower end of said screw,

sloper plates pivotally secured to said footer and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom to form the sides of the ditch, cutting edges being provided on the front edges of the sloper plates,

guide plate means adjustably filling the space between each sloper plate and the side of the housing to guide dirt cut loose by the sloper plates to the screw housing, and

housing means covering at least the front portion of the screw at the upper portion thereof.

11. Digging and cleaning apparatus for removing silt and the like from ditches partially filled with water including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body, means to raise and lower the frame, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw over substantially the full vertical height thereof, a footer on the bottom of the housing, means for guiding silt from the bottom and sides of the ditch into the screw and housing upon the forward movement of the apparatus, and a front housing extending around at least the front portion of the screw over the upper portion thereof, and means for selectively adjusting said front housing to bring its lower end substantially to the level of the silt in the ditch, and below the level of the water therein so that the silt will be dug from the ditch and substantially no water.

12. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body mounted for vertical movement thereon, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw and adapted to ride on the bottom of the ditch, means for changing the horizontal angle of the footer in relation to the direction of forward motion of the apparatus, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers extending from adjacent the bottom of the housing forwardly, upwardly and outwardly so that the forward edges thereof define a slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement and the planes of the slopers are toed slightly inwardly toward each other in the direction of apparatus movement to effect a wiping cut on the sides of the ditch, means for selectively changing the lateral angles of the slopers with out changing the slant angle or the toed inwardly relation of the planes in the direction of apparatus movement, guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing, vertically adjustable housing means covering at least the front portion of the screw at the upper portion thereof, and centrifugal means positioned at the upper end of the screw for receiving dirt from the screw and for discharging it laterally of the apparatus.

13. In a ditch digging and cleaning apparatus for attachment to a vehicle, a frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw and tending to pull the screw down into the ditch, a footer supporting the lower end of the screw, means for changing the horizontal angle of the footer in relation to the direction of forward motion of the apparatus, a housing surrounding at least the rear portion of the screw, slopers extending from adjacent the bottom of the housing forwardly, upwardly and outwardly so the forward edges thereof define a slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement and tending to lift the housing out of the ditch, means for selectively changing the lateral angles of the slopers without changing the slant angle in the direction of apparatus movement, guide means filling the space between the slopers and the housing, vertically adjustable housing means covering at least the front portion of the screw at the upper portion thereof, and centrifugal means positioned at the upper end of the screw for receiving dirt from the screw and for discharging it laterally of the apparatus.

14. Ditch digging and cleaning apparatus including a body, drive means for the body, a frame on the body, means to raise and lower the frame, a screw journalled on the frame and extending downwardly therefrom, means for driving the screw, a housing extending around at least the rear portion of the screw over substantially the full vertical height thereof, a footer on the bottom of the housing, means for guiding dirt from the ditch into the screw and housing upon the forward movement of the apparatus, adjustable gate means in combination with the guiding means adapted to bypass water through the gate means to maintain the water level in the ditch substantially the same in back and in front of the housing upon the forward movement of the apparatus, a housing extending around at least the front portion of the screw over the upper portion thereof, and means for adjusting the vertical height of the last-named housing so thatthe lower end of the housing is below the level of water in the ditch and in engagement with dirt cut from the ditch and piling up in front of the screw whereby substantially only dirt cut from the ditch and practically no water is carried up by the screw and discharged.

15. In apparatus for cleaning ditches having water therein a vehicle, a frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle, a screw journalled on the frame and extending around at least the rear portion of the screw over substantially the full vertical height thereof, a footer on the bottom of the housing, means for guiding dirt from the ditch into the screw and housing upon the forward movement of the apparatus, means operative upon forward movement of the apparatus to effect progressive passage of the water in the'ditch from in front of the apparatus to the rear thereof so as to maintain the water level in the ditch in front of the apparatus at the same level as the water level in the ditch behind the apparatus, a housing extending around at least the front portion of the screw over the upper portion thereof, and means for adjusting the vertical height of the last-named housing to below the surface of the water in the ditch in front of the apparatus and into engagement with the dirt cut from the ditch and piling up in front of the screw so that substantially only dirt cut from the ditch and no water is carried upwardly and dicharged by the screw.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,257 8/ 1905 Sargent 37-82 814,982 3/1906 Nixon 37-81 847,703 3/ 1907 Shenefelt 37-81 919,595 4/ 1909 Kessler 37-81 923,064 5/ 1909 Morenus 198-228 X 1,071,477 8/1913 Stowe 37-81 1,220,527 3/ 1917 Martin 175-88 1,225,802 5/1917 Greenawalt 212-183 X 1,301,833 4/1919 Gevere 37-81 2,381,689 8/1945 Roehr 37-81 2,681,231 6/ 1954 Konoracki. 2,834,125 5/1958 Brandt 37-97 2,969,601 1/ 1961 McMaster 37-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 642,060 8/1950 Great Britain. 760,254 10/1956 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. BENJAMIN HERSH, CHARLES E. OCONNELL,

Examiners.

BENJAMIN BENDETT, W. B. STONE, GODFREY T. MOLLER, J. A. LEPPINK, WILLIAM A. SMITH, III,

Assistant Examiners. 

10. IN A DITCH DIGGING AND CLEANING APPARATUS FOR ATTACHMENT TO A VEHICLE, A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE, A VERTICALLY POSITIONED SCREW JOU/RNALLED ON SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING DRIVE THE SCREW OPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO, A HOUSING SECURED TO SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING AROUND AT LEAST THE REAR PORTION OF THE SCREW THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH THEREOF, A FOOTER SECURED TO SAID FRAME AND SUPPORTING THE LOWER END OF SAID SCREW, SLOPER PLATES PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID FOOTER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY THEREFROM TO FORM THE SIDES OF THE DITCH, CUTTING EDGESE BEING PROVIDED ON THE FRONT EDGES OF THE SLOPER PLATES, GUIDE PLATE MEANS ADJUSTABLY FILLING THE SPACE BETWEEN EACH SLOPER PLATE AND THE SIDE OF THE HOUSING TO GUIDE DIRT CUT LOOSE BY THE SLOPER PLATES TO THE SCREW HOUSING, AND HOUSING MEANS COVERING AT LEAST THE FRONT PORTION OF THE SCREW AT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF. 